


Misbehaviour

by Burgie



Series: Katja Joins Team Good AU [44]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7848265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex learns how hard it is to deal with a teenager.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misbehaviour

The white seal surfaced a few metres away from the siren. She looked quite pleased with herself, even while the siren was fuming.

“Mandy,” Katja growled. “Get back here, now. You know you’re not supposed to be out here.” The seal blew a raspberry at her and dived beneath the waves. Katja growled again and dived down after her. Seals were always the worst prey for sirens, but Mandy wasn’t exactly a strong swimmer. She was already beginning to tire when Katja caught up to her.

The seal cowered back against the rock wall of a cliff as Katja reached for her. But then another presence joined them, another siren. This one had black scales, and her green eyes shone with luminescence in the darkness.

“You know she can’t breathe underwater in her human form, right?” asked the other siren. Katja retracted her hand and Mandy swam back up to the surface, hoping that her punishment might not be so severe if her aunt was there too.

But when Mandy got to the surface, she felt a pinching feeling on the back of her neck, followed by a sucking feeling as her seal skin was taken off. She made a little noise of distress and turned around to see her mama perching precariously on a sun-baked rock, holding the white seal skin in her hands.

“Mama,” Mandy whined. “I thought you were on my side.”

“I am,” said Alex, picking up a white coat next to her and holding it out for Mandy. “But what you did was very dangerous.”

“I only went for a swim,” said Mandy, still sulking, though she wrapped the coat around her and sat on the rock next to her mama.

“You should’ve told us,” said Alex, wrapping an arm around her daughter. Mandy pushed her off.

“Why are you so overly protective of me?” Mandy snapped at her, baring her sharp teeth. “I’ve never even seen any of these enemies. Maybe you’re just being paranoid.”

“Believe me, we’re not,” said Katja, finally emerging from the water. “And you are in big trouble.”

“Why? Because I decided that I didn’t want to be a coward anymore?” asked Mandy.

“Mandy!” her mama chided her, and Mandy saw the anger in her eyes. She sat silently on the rock until their boat came, and then she remained silent all the way into her bedroom. There, she slammed the door and got into bed to cry.

After a while, her bedroom door opened.

“Go away,” said Mandy, still hiding beneath the covers. The footsteps came closer. “I said, go-“ She sat up, reading to throw something at the intruder, but then she saw her mama and sank back down. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Mandy,” said Alex, taking another step and sitting on the bed. “Your mother is really upset because of what you said to her.”

“I know,” said Mandy. After the anger had passed, she was now more upset over what she’d said. “I just don’t get why mum is so afraid.”

“Well… I think it’s time you learned about your older brother,” said Alex. She put a hand on Mandy’s shoulder.

“I have another brother?” asked Mandy. “But I thought I was the oldest.”

“No, you’re not. You’re thirteen but your brother is probably around two or three hundred. Maybe less, Katja sucks at dates,” said Alex. Mandy giggled.

“Then how come I haven’t met him?” asked Mandy.

“Well…” Alex looked a little uncomfortable at that. “I’m trying to think of how to word this to you without scaring you or grossing you out. Basically, your mum had him like she had you. Through magic. And we were happy for… around thirteen years I guess? Damn. No wonder she freaked out so much.” Mandy remembered her earlier joy at being able to swim for so long without being pursued, but now she felt guilty.

“Did I scare her?” asked Mandy.

“Yes,” said Alex. “You scared her a lot. Because when your brother was thirteen or so, he… the bad guys came.”

“Dark Core?” asked Mandy.

“It was called something different then,” said Alex. “Actually, I don’t know what they called themselves. But yeah, them. They killed that version of me and then took your mum and brother back to their lair. They made her watch while they turned him into a mindless soldier, a monster.”

“Oh,” said Mandy. “And she’s scared the same thing will happen with me?”

“Yeah,” said Alex. “She’s terrified of that. So you can’t just run off like that, okay? I know you want to explore the world and you have loads of energy. From me, of course. But the threat is very real.”

“But I haven’t even seen any of them,” said Mandy. “Except Aunt Jess but she’s on our side, isn’t she?”

“She’s neutral,” said Alex. “You haven’t seen any of our enemies because we keep the bunker warded. But when I have to go away, sometimes it’s to visit my mama but sometimes I have to go fight the bad guys.”

“But it’s so boring being stuck here,” said Mandy. “Can’t you find a safe place for me to swim? Or make a safe place?”

“I can have one of the basements filled with water,” said Alex.

“How does Aunt Jess swim with her kids?” asked Mandy.

“I guess that’s possible,” said Alex. “We’ll have to ask your mother and aunt first, though.”

“Okay,” said Mandy. “I hope they say yes.”

“I hope so too,” said Alex. “You know we’re just trying to protect you.”

“I know,” said Mandy. “I’m sorry I was being such a brat.”

“You’re a teenager, it’s natural for you to act out and test the boundaries,” said Alex, stroking her hair. “Now, put some clothes on and go apologise to your mother.”

“But she’s mad at me,” said Mandy.

“No she’s not, she was only acting like that because she was scared,” said Alex. “I know she wants to see you, she feels terrible for acting like she did.”

“I feel bad too now,” said Mandy. Tears came to her eyes again, but not for herself this time. “I messed everything up for her.”

“No you didn’t,” said Alex, taking her daughter into her arms. “It’ll be okay.”

“But I did,” said Mandy, the whine back in her voice. “She was so happy and now she’s sad again and it’s because of me.” Alex held her while she cried.

“She’s actually not happy all the time,” said Alex. “Sometimes little things set her off. Like when there’s a false alarm with the wards or on certain days. Even me telling her that you’re a teenager made her upset because-“

“Because she never got to see my brother grow up,” said Mandy. “I hate Dark Core! They make things hard for everyone.”

“Shh, I know, it’s okay,” said Alex. “Your mum has had a lot of bad stuff happen to her. But in the end, she got you. You, and me, and your brother.” Mandy sniffled into her mama’s tunic.

“Are you going to beat the bad guys in the end?” asked Mandy.

“We already have, in a way,” said Alex. “But yes. Someday, we’re going to beat the bad guys once and for all.”

“Good,” said Mandy. She seemed happier at that.

“Now, are you going to get dressed and talk to your mum?” asked Alex.

“Yes,” said Mandy. She got off the bed and found her clothes, then slumped her shoulders when she realised that something was missing.

“And no, you won’t be getting your skin back for a while,” said Alex. Mandy whined and moved into the bathroom. Alex watched her go, then flopped down on the bed. Raising a teenager was exhausting, but she wouldn’t change it for anything.


End file.
